Juneau Jazz & Classics (JJ&C) is pleased to announce that longtime festival friend Zuill Bailey will join the team as artistic director in 2020. He will work alongside current artistic director William Ransom to seamlessly transition the festival throughout the next year. Bailey will make special guest appearances in Juneau through the 2019-2020 festival season and will officially come on board as Artistic Director in July, 2020. Ransom is again presenting a strong lineup of musicians for the May 1-9, 2020 Festival, and Bailey has further plans for a Fall Music Series.

Artistic director William Ransom said "the 2020 season will once again be filled with great music, amazing musicians, fun and surprises- and I am thrilled that Festival favorite Grammy Award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey, one of the most dynamic and in-demand musicians today who performs and teaches around the world and directs several major Music Series and Festivals, has agreed to take the baton from me as our new artistic director following our May Festival! In 2020, our new Festival format will consist of a slightly shorter May Festival (running from May 1-9) followed by a new FALL set of concerts- so that you can enjoy the Festival experience year-round. I hope you will join me in welcoming Zuill to the JJ&C family, and continue to support us as we bring the very best in Jazz, Classics, Blues and more to the Juneau community!"

Bailey has visited and performed in Juneau for the last ten years and anyone who has seen him in concert, knows how committed he is to sharing the power of music, music education and community engagement. His work in Sitka and Anchorage over the last ten years demonstrates his ability to bring together organizations across Alaska. Juneau Jazz & Classics is delighted to join this collaboration, which has strengthened the arts and cultural landscape throughout the state.

JJ&C President Vicki Van Fleet said, “We chose Zuill Bailey because of his clear investment in Alaska, and since Jazz & Classics has a decade-long relationship with him, we know what he is about and that his vision will move the festival forward in a way that honors the past and embraces the future.”

Zuill Bailey, widely considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, is a Grammy Award winning, internationally renowned soloist, recitalist, artistic director and teacher. His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has secured his place as one of the most sought after and active cellists today.

A consummate concerto soloist, Bailey has been featured with symphony orchestras worldwide. He is also a renowned recording artist with over twenty titles. Bailey won a best solo performance Grammy Award in 2017 for his live recording of Tales of Hemingway, by composer Michael Daugherty. The celebrated CD, recorded with the Nashville Symphony, Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor, also won a Grammy for Best Composition and Best Compendium. His celebrated Bach Suites for Solo Cello and recently released CD, Britten Cello Symphony/Cello Sonata with pianist Natasha Paremski, both immediately soared to the number one spot on the Classical Billboard Charts.

In addition to his extensive touring engagements, Bailey is the Artist Director of El Paso Pro-Musica (Texas), the Sitka Summer Music Festival Series and its renowned Sitka International Cello Seminar (Alaska), the Northwest Bach Festival (Washington), the Classical Music Inside Out Series at Mesa Arts Center (Arizona), Director of the Center for Arts Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at El Paso, and, beginning in Fall 2020, Juneau Jazz & Classics!

“Juneau Jazz & Classics is looking for new ways to bring music into the community and inspire the next generation of musicians. Zuill embodies all that music is about, and he shares his talents generously,” Executive Director Sandy Fortier said.

We have current artistic director William Ransom and founder and former artistic director Linda Rosenthal to thank for this unique Juneau experience over the last 34 years. We look forward to continuing their legacy of offering the highest quality music performances and instruction opportunities to inspire, enrich and educate persons of all ages and economic backgrounds.

Juneau Jazz & Classics is a music festival in May that brings professional jazz, classical, and blues musicians from all over the world to perform and educate in Juneau.